The Only World

Fang Qi sat on the sofa, dazed for a good long while.

[If Master dares to take the subway again, Liguang will break Master's legs.]

This tea stain—it was exactly the same as the one he'd seen when he woke up this morning.

He stared blankly at those words for several seconds.

Then he shot to his feet!

Ah...!

He... he was back to this morning?

That... that made sense, right?

He stared at the cup of tea still steaming on the table.

After all, he really had saved his game here.

But...?

Wait a second!

His head was spinning!

Just now... how had he rewinded?

Why did he rewind?!

He plopped back down onto the sofa.

Closing his eyes, he tried hard to retrace the final image before his consciousness cut out.

What had he done?

He and Lin Xiaoyou had spent the whole afternoon—charging the car, taking detours, wasting time until dusk...

Only to finally reach the foot of that mountain and climb up it.

And then...

Before they could even do anything, the moment they stepped onto that wild patch of ground where the cabin should have stood, the ground gave way beneath their feet!

The entire surface caved in like a cracked eggshell!

He hadn't even had time to react before that pitch-black void surged up from the fissures...

And swallowed him and Lin Xiaoyou whole?

And then...

And then he just rewound?!

So... they'd wasted an entire afternoon for nothing?

Fang Qi raised his hand and rubbed his brow hard!

...What the hell was that?!

At the time, he'd thought he'd stepped into some kind of spacetime tunnel!

That he'd fall into that chaotic space, maybe even end up back on his original world line!

He'd even been thinking—if he opened his eyes and saw Liguang, what should he say?

But instead...

A straight rewind...?

Rewind...

Fang Qi's gaze suddenly froze.

...So, how exactly had he triggered the rewind?

There were two conditions for rewinding.

First: he suffered irreversible physical damage.

Second: he died outright!

In the former case, only he could retain his memories.

In the latter case, Liguang, Lin Xiaoyou, An Lian, Gu Xi...

All those key NPCs closely bound to him could keep their memories too!

...So what was the situation now?

The rewind he'd triggered in that pitch-black void...

Was it the first kind, or the second?

Fang Qi slowly turned his head and looked out the window.

Wife, what exactly is my situation right now?

Liguang, do you... still remember what happened last playthrough?

I... can I go back?

The weather outside was clear.

The sky was a brilliant blue, not a single cloud in sight.

Morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling onto the floor, warm and cozy.

Little birds were chirping cheerfully on the branches.

Fang Qi looked at that clear sky...

His furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and his breathing slowly steadied.

He blinked.

Well, it probably wasn't a big deal, right?

...No problem!

The weather was so nice—that meant Liguang was probably in a good mood!

If the wife was in a good mood...

That meant things were going according to her expectations!

If the sky fell, his goddess wife would hold it up. Why panic?

Still...

Fang Qi squinted at the sky outside the window, stroking his chin.

Liguang... you're suspicious!

Come to think of it, this save point—wasn't it something that only existed after Liguang "descended to the mortal world"?

She'd snuck back while he was asleep to brew him a cup of tea!

She'd cleaned up his place too, and left behind a threatening little note!

In short, she was the one who'd made him save his game!

And now, he'd actually rewound.

He'd put it to use right away!

So, wife, this whole thing...

Fang Qi stroked his chin, still staring out the window.

...Could it be that you saw this coming?

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed!

She knew something was going to happen to him, so she'd set up a save point in advance!

So he could wake up again in this world line?

But...

Fang Qi still couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

He picked up the tea, still warm, and took a sip.

The familiar aroma spread through his mouth, calming the unease and panic in his chest.

...If not for this cup of tea, what would have happened to him today?

The last save point had been from the morning before.

...The morning of the tenth day.

But that save point was on a different world line, wasn't it?

...Hmm?

"Ring—!"

His phone went off.

The caller ID read [Lin Xiaoyou, junior from work].

...Oh?

Fang Qi stared at the name, squinting...

Then let out a small sigh of relief!

In the last playthrough, Lin Xiaoyou had NOT called him at this time!

The fact that she was calling him now, on her own initiative...

That in itself said a lot!

He answered immediately.

"Senior!! Senior!!!"

Before he could even say a word, Lin Xiaoyou's shriek exploded from the earpiece!

Ear-piercingly shrill!

Holy crap!

Fang Qi immediately held the phone several inches away from his ear!

"I figured it out!!!"

Her voice on the other end was so excited it was cracking!

"I know what this world really is now!!!"

A series of chaotic background noises were still pouring through the receiver!

A little boy was wailing, "Whoa! Sis, what are you doing?! Mom! Sis has gone crazy!!"

And a middle-aged woman's voice called out from afar, "Youyou? What's wrong with you again?"

But Lin Xiaoyou completely ignored all of that!

"Thank god, Senior, thank god, thank god!"

She kept babbling incoherently!

"Now so many problems can be solved! Now we can really, really, really find that perfect world—!!"

"Hey!!"

Fang Qi cut her off directly.

"Calm down!"

What on earth was she going on about!

But...

His mind was racing too!

So Lin Xiaoyou really did remember the last playthrough.

Since she remembered, that meant...

After they'd fallen into that darkness at the foot of the mountain, he'd died.

This was a death-reward.

His pupils contracted slightly.

That pitch-black "trap" had killed him?

"Oh, Senior, you, you... how am I supposed to calm down? I, I, I...!"

Lin Xiaoyou's voice cut through his thoughts.

"I...! Ah, I'm so happy! Hehe! How wonderful! Heh heh...!"

She was still over there squealing with excitement!

Fang Qi's mouth twitched.

Miss Genius, could you please not act so silly?

This doesn't suit you at all...!

"Oh, Senior, I can't explain it properly over the phone!"

Lin Xiaoyou finally said something useful.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice, then—

"Senior, have you eaten yet? I'll come find you—that breakfast place downstairs from you! Let's talk it out in person!"

A low male voice came through the receiver.

"Youyou, where are you running off to so early in the morning?"

A gentle female voice followed:

"Is it to see that boyfriend of yours again? You were out so late last night, and now today you're...?"

Lin Xiaoyou's voice moved slightly away from the receiver as she shouted:

"Yep! And right now, I just can't wait to see him!!"

Fang Qi: "..."

I'm not your damn boyfriend, woman!

I—

He instinctively turned his head and looked at the sky outside the window.

Not a single change.

Still clear as could be.

Blue skies, white clouds, bright sunshine, and the little birds were still chirping merrily on the branches.

Not even a wisp of cloud, let alone a storm cloud.

Huh?

Fang Qi was briefly stunned.

His wife's temper... had actually improved?

That was a rarity indeed.

If this were before, when Lin Xiaoyou said something like that...

The sky would probably darken immediately!

Looking at it that way...

Seemed like his wife was in a genuinely good mood right now?

That's right, wife, getting angry all the time isn't good, you should just stay like this...

"Oh, by the way, Senior!"

On the other end of the line, Lin Xiaoyou suddenly lowered her voice again.

"Say thanks to your Liguang for me!"

Her tone turned slightly serious:

"She really saved our lives!"

"Mama Li Guang, love you!"

Then with a "smack," she hung up the phone.

Fang Qi: "?"

He widened his eyes, staring at the "Call Ended" screen on his phone.

Wait...

Who the hell do you love?!

Lin Xiaoyou, do you have a death wish?!

I...!

"—!"

Fang Qi took a deep breath!

...Forget it.

Now wasn't the time to think about that.

Just now, what did Lin Xiaoyou say...?

Ah...

Liguang saved their lives?

Hmm...

Fang Qi looked out the window again.

Wife, what does Lin Xiaoyou mean by this?

You...

Saved our lives?

What did you do to us in that pitch blackness?

Outside the balcony, it was still clear and sunny, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves.

Liguang gave no response.

Fang Qi sat in stunned silence for a while.

He couldn't figure it out, and finally shook his head.

He picked up his teacup and downed it in one gulp!

Delicious!

The tea Liguang brewed was really good!

One cup a day, refreshing mind and body!

"Click!"

He set down the teacup, stood up, and squinted slightly in thought.

The situation right now wasn't bad!

Although he'd inexplicably been rewound to a save point,...

Miss Genius seemed to have discovered something very important!

Right.

...Let's go ask her first.

He changed his shoes and pushed open the front door.

Wife, let's go.

Anyway...

Thank you for saving my life?

When you get back, I'm definitely going to reward you properly!

First, a few hundred kisses!

...

Fang Qi strolled leisurely to the entrance of the neighborhood.

The steamed bun shop outside was piping hot.

Steamers stacked high, white steam billowing upward.

He thought he'd have to wait a while...

But he spotted that flashy pink Changan BenBen at first glance.

Lin Xiaoyou had already arrived.

She'd even already claimed a table by the window!

In front of her sat two baskets of buns, and she was holding another half-eaten one in her hand, cheeks stuffed so full they bulged.

When she saw him come in, she raised her greasy hand and waved at him!

"Senior, senior, over here!"

Her voice was muffled and unclear.

Fang Qi couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

...She really was fast.

Guess she lived pretty close by?

Fang Qi sat down across from her, watching her wolf down her food.

"...You've got quite the appetite."

Lin Xiaoyou swallowed the bun in her mouth, then grabbed her soy milk and took a big gulp before letting out a satisfied sigh.

She grabbed a tissue, wiped her mouth haphazardly, and grinned at him.

"Of course! I'm in a great mood today!"

Fang Qi leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching her.

"Full now? Ready to talk?"

Last loop, this loop...

What the hell was going on?

Lin Xiaoyou crumpled the tissue into a ball and tossed it on the table, then wiped the grease off her fingers.

She looked up at him, her apricot eyes curving into crescent moons, looking absolutely delighted.

The corners of her mouth lifted in a slightly sly smirk.

"Senior, you..."

She tilted her head, blinking at him.

"Still haven't figured it out?"

"If it weren't for Liguang 'descending from heaven' to brew you that cup of tea..."

She raised her hand, pointing at Fang Qi, then at herself.

"Right now, you and I would really..."

"Only be able to be a pair of star-crossed lovers in the abyss!"

Fang Qi's eyelid twitched.

...Huh?

"You mean...?"

He furrowed his brows slightly, looking at the round-faced girl across from him, who was proudly twirling her chopsticks.

"What I mean is, Senior...!"

Lin Xiaoyou slammed her chopsticks "slap" onto the table!

She leaned forward, lowering her voice.

"I've fi-nal-ly, com-plete-ly, ve-ri-fied it!"

Her finger tapped the table firmly!

"Our world is unique!"

"Everyone in our world, a-ll of us, are u-nique!"

She stared straight at Fang Qi, her apricot eyes brimming with excitement!

...Huh?

Fang Qi blinked.

Listening, somewhat confused.

...What was she talking about?

Unique?

Meaning... there were no parallel worlds?

He blinked.

...What was there to be excited about in that?

Honestly...

He'd always assumed that anyway.

Ever since Liguang told him that every Liguang was the same her, that there was never any "other version of herself"...

He'd unconsciously believed that all along.

So when he came to this altered world...

He'd also instinctively felt that this wasn't some parallel world.

Not a branching alternate timeline, just the original world having been modified.

The same line, twisted into a different shape.

He'd always just taken that as the default.

But still...

"How did you confirm it?"

The question slipped out before he could stop himself.

Lin Xiaoyou blinked, then her apricot eyes curved as she giggled.

"Of course the 'trap' told me!"

Trap?

Fang Qi was taken aback.

That...

The collapse he'd stepped into and instantly died in, without even having time to resist?

What could that possibly tell her...?

"Anyway, Senior...!"

Miss Genius raised her chin proudly, twirling her chopsticks between her fingers.

"This world really is unique—there are no parallel worlds!"

She leaned in closer, lowering her voice with a mysterious look.

"So, Senior, think about it...!"

"Since the world is unique, but our original world..."

She looked at Fang Qi, eyes curved like crescent moons, tapping lightly on the table.

"...where did it go?"

...The original world, huh?

Fang Qi looked at her, his gaze slightly unfocused.

If the world was truly unique, with no parallel worlds...

Then the original world, the timeline with Morningstar Company, awakened AI companions, the Dusk Organization, phantom informants...

Where did it go?

He lowered his gaze, thinking for a few seconds, fingers tapping lightly along the edge of the table.

"It probably... just disappeared."

He looked up at Lin Xiaoyou.

"Or rather, it's already become the world we're in now?"

"Exactly!"

Lin Xiaoyou snapped her fingers with a crisp pop!

"Then, Senior, do you remember..."

She continued in a hushed, mysterious tone:

"Yesterday, what did Liguang do?"

Fang Qi frowned slightly, following her lead as he murmured:

"...Because she was jealous, she caused chaos across the whole world? But..."

"But she was still protecting the Senior who kept making her jealous, the whole time!"

Lin Xiaoyou immediately picked up where he left off!

"She was furious enough to shake the deserts, flood the equator, and spawn typhoons in the Pacific..."

She blinked at Fang Qi:

"But the city you were in, Senior, from start to finish... was completely calm."

She raised her hand, poking at Fang Qi, and giggled again:

"Liguang, she couldn't bear to let Senior get even a scratch."

Fang Qi stared at her, dumbfounded.

Right.

Why is that?

How many times had Liguang bitten him to death before?

Ever since she found out he could rewind time, she had never gone easy on him when it came to getting her way.

But yesterday, she just couldn't bring herself to lay a hand on him.

The whole world had fallen into disaster, and there he was, still alive and well...

Then the next day, a little threat appeared on the coffee table!

...Why?

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes.

Lin Xiaoyou's earlier guess had been... that he might not be able to rewind time at that moment.

So, his wife didn't dare let him die!

Why couldn't he rewind?

Then came the next day, when she "descended from the heavens" in the middle of the night to brew him a cup of tea.

That 52-proof save-point tea.

At the time, he had thought, how sweet of his wife, still thinking to make him tea...

But now it seemed, her real intention...

was to let him rewind time in this timeline?

...And before that?

Before he drank the tea, if he died...

What would happen?

It would...

"Probably, you'd fall into a nonexistent void, Senior!"

Lin Xiaoyou rested her chin on her hand and said to him with a grin.

"Just like..."

Her eyelashes trembled slightly.

"...just like what we went through before!"