Chapter 51: Anomalous Time 17

The person Yu Bai had called out to responded almost immediately.

Xie Wufang was still holding that book in his hand, his voice perfectly casual. “Good morning.”

It was the first time Yu Bai had ever seen the non-human sitting at the table like this, reading a book.

How novel.

He hadn’t understood a single word of the mysterious script in that yellowed notebook before, but the text in the book the other man held now? He recognized it at a glance.

It was Chinese!

Curiosity piqued, Yu Bai asked, “What are you reading?”

The man looked up, closed the thick volume in his hand, and honestly showed him the cover with the title on it.

—Elementary Go Techniques and Basic Patterns.

“Uncle Zhang’s study has a lot of books on Go,” Xie Wufang said, using the same form of address Yu Bai did for Zhang Yunjiang.

“He said we could look through them freely.”

Staring at the antique cover with its black-and-white Go board diagram, Yu Bai froze for a moment.

Then he slowly forced a calm smile, trying to mask the ominous premonition that suddenly welled up inside him.

Why had he opened his big mouth and asked that question?!

With Xie Wufang’s learning speed and current Go level, there was no way he needed a book with words like “elementary” or “basic” on it.

And he’d said “we”…

Just as alarm bells were ringing wildly in Yu Bai’s heart and he was about to turn tail and run, Xie Wufang spoke again.

“This book should be suitable for you. It’s a beginner’s tutorial.”

Xie Wufang looked at him, his tone earnest. He seemed to sense Yu Bai’s intentions and asked, somewhat puzzled, “Where are you going?”

…Just as he’d feared.

Yu Bai desperately wanted to escape this day that was about to force him into learning Go.

Just glancing at the dense pages of the Go tutorial earlier had already given him a headache.

Why not sleep a little longer—sleep straight through till tomorrow!

Their eyes met. Yu Bai kept wailing inwardly, but his expression remained unchanged, still bearing a calm smile.

“I’m going to wash up,” he said. He turned and walked steadily toward the bathroom, his tone light. “Ah, I’m starving. I need to grab something to eat in a bit…”

“I’ll take you to the dining room. They have all kinds of breakfast there,” the man behind him said, oblivious to Yu Bai’s despair. “Once you’re done eating, you can start learning Go.”

“…”

Yu Bai, who had been walking so steadily, nearly tripped over thin air.

“Sure,” he said, forcing a cheerful tone full of feigned delight. “Sounds great.”

Great my ass!

This morning wasn’t going to be so wonderful after all!!

Ten minutes later, the two of them entered the dining room together.

Xie Wufang had switched to another thick beginner’s Go tutorial, sitting quietly beside Yu Bai to keep him company.

Thoroughly despondent, Yu Bai greeted the approaching servants and pondered just how long he could stall with the excuse of eating.

His helpless gaze swept across the spacious, brightly lit dining room with its antique decor. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

Yan Jing was there too!

The muscle-bound guy with the bottomless stomach sat in the corner, eating at a steady pace without pause. A huge variety of breakfasts—both Western and Chinese—crowded the table in front of him.

Yu Bai felt like he’d found the perfect excuse to buy time. He immediately headed over and greeted him proactively. “Morning. You just get up too?”

“Little Bai, you’re finally—”

Yan Jing, who had been channeling his fear into food and eating with single-minded focus, heard the familiar voice and called out in greeting without thinking.

But before he could finish, he looked up. When he saw the figure next to Little Bai, terror flashed across his face. He nearly choked to death on his pizza.

Why the hell was that Xie guy in the dining room again?!

He’d thought the guy wouldn’t show up, which was why he’d been hanging out here stuffing his face!

“I-I’m up!” Yan Jing stammered, desperate to flee. “I’m done eating—you guys take your time! Bye, Little Bai! Bye, Brother Xie!”

“…” Yu Bai gave him a baffled look, sat down, and casually picked up a slice of pizza to nibble on. “You’re not done. There’s still so much left.”

Yan Jing immediately shoved the entire plate in front of him, resolutely abandoning his feast. With fawning eagerness, he said, “You guys eat it. Eat it.”

Yu Bai paused, surprised.

What was up with this guy today?

He had the desperate, ass-kissing vibe of a gym salesman at the end of the month begging members to renew their memberships.

Plus the heartfelt panic of a kid running into a high school bully from his elementary days.

Yu Bai got the sense that Yan Jing was especially afraid of Xie Wufang.

It had started last night.

But…

He glanced at the man beside him.

The black-haired, blue-eyed man sat at the table just like him, eyes lowered on his book. He wasn’t speaking, as if he didn’t want to disturb their meal—not even looking up.

Perfectly normal. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Why be so scared?

Yu Bai scooted a bit closer to Yan Jing and whispered, “Did Little Xie bully you?”

Yan Jing was about to nod frantically at the question, but in the instant his head started to dip…

He heard the faint rustle of thin paper pages turning nearby.

A single crisp, chilling sound.

For some reason, Yan Jing shuddered violently, a chill running from his scalp to his heels. He denied it vehemently. “No, no, no! No way!”

Yu Bai was even more baffled. He lowered his voice, perplexed. “Then why are you scared of him?”

Yan Jing forced a smile, his voice even quieter. “Maybe because I’m actually sick.”

“…” Yu Bai was utterly confused and hesitated to respond. “Don’t say that. You’re scaring me.”

“D-Don’t be scared.” Yan Jing spoke carefully. “Eat your food first, or it’ll get cold.”

Just then, light footsteps approached from outside.

It was nearly eleven, and the unusually cheerful elementary schooler had boldly come to the dining room alone, hoping to sneak a peek at what was for lunch.

But as she entered, she was surprised to see three familiar faces.

Lazy-sleeping Brother Little Bai was finally up.

The god-brother who thought humans only needed eight hours of sleep wouldn’t have to worry anymore.

As for the last one…

“Yan Jing Brother!” He Xi asked in surprise. “Why are you still eating breakfast?”

Only then did Yu Bai learn that Yan Jing had been in the dining room steadily gorging for over an hour. He had to sigh in admiration.

…He really must be sick!

The little girl, who had been so timid yesterday, sneaked a smile when she saw him now. Her clear, innocent eyes sparkled brightly.

She seemed to be in a great mood.

She greeted him proactively. “Good morning, Brother Little Bai.”

Yu Bai didn’t know why, but her sparkling, adorable gaze made him smile too. He reached out and ruffled her hair. “Good morning, He Xi.”

He did this often in the time loop, and the feel of her hair was as good as ever.

As the little girl passed by Xie Wufang’s side, she greeted him too, receiving a calm, gentle response in return.

Yu Bai sighed inwardly to himself.

Even an eight-year-old kid wasn’t afraid of Xie Wufang. What was Yan Jing so scared of?

As Yu Bai ate his breakfast, he recalled the guy’s bizarre, flopping-like-a-fish-out-of-water performance last night. Still concerned, he couldn’t help asking, “What exactly happened to you last night? Were you feeling unwell?”

As he asked, those gray-blue eyes that had been fixed on the page quietly turned toward him.

After He Xi—the girl who had saved him once before—arrived, Yan Jing had relaxed a little. Hearing Yu Bai’s question, he actually gave it some serious thought.

He still didn’t know what had been wrong with him at the time.

Out of nowhere, why had he felt suffocated?

He’d thought it had something to do with Xie Wufang at first, but on second thought, Little Bai’s non-human neighbor had only perfectly restored the exploded kitchen and paused time at the funeral parlor. He didn’t seem to have done anything else particularly terrifying. He was even pretty polite normally.

No reason to kill him out of the blue, right?

It didn’t make sense!

Of course, Yan Jing did genuinely find the guy terrifying, like he really took a dislike to him.

But maybe that was because…

His own nerves were just too fragile?

After all, he was getting spooked over something as minor as the guy casually turning a page nearby.

So, come to think of it, why had he felt suffocated?

Yan Jing pondered for a moment, then had a lightbulb moment. He whispered excitedly, “I got it!”

Yu Bai paused with his chopsticks and looked over.

“That suite was brand new—probably just renovated, full of formaldehyde?”

Yan Jing slapped the table in sudden realization. “I inhaled a ton of it, so my head got dizzy and bloated, nearly suffocating me!”

Yu Bai, full of curiosity, fell silent for a beat. Then he resumed eating, criticizing his idiotic thought process with a straight face.

“Formaldehyde? Never mind that there wasn’t any weird smell in the room at all—I was right next to you the whole time. How come I didn’t feel anything?”

“No idea! But I felt way better after I ran out.”

Yan Jing puzzledly pinched his plump arm. “Maybe I have more muscle, so my oxygen consumption is higher. That could make me more sensitive to this kind of thing, right?”

…How did he even manage to find a chance to show off his muscles here!

Seeing that familiar brainless, silly look, Yu Bai couldn’t be bothered to pay him any mind. Since Yan Jing seemed fine now, he put it out of his thoughts.

“Those messages you sent me last night really gave me a scare.”

Yu Bai grumbled casually, only then realizing a problem after the fact.

“What did you use to send me those messages?” he asked. “Didn’t your phone drop into the toilet?”

Yan Jing finally heard the question he’d been waiting for. He immediately replied, “How come you’re only asking about this now? Isn’t it because—”

There was no longer any “me” in your heart?

He’d instinctively wanted to act cheap and tease him.

But then he thought better of it. With a little girl right there beside them, it wouldn’t be appropriate to crack that kind of joke in front of her, so he stopped himself.

Hearing the sudden halt in Yan Jing’s words, Yu Bai asked, “Because what?”

“…Nothing.”

Yan Jing pulled a brand-new phone from his pocket and showed it to him, answering honestly. “After I ran out last night, I ran into Uncle Zhang. I wanted to borrow his phone, but once he heard mine was gone, he offered me a new one from home that they weren’t using.”

“When I went with Uncle Zhang to pick it up, I saw not just phones, but a bunch of other electronics too. He told me to pick whichever style I wanted.”

As Yan Jing chattered on, that pair of quiet gray-blue eyes nearby quietly shifted away.

Yu Bai was a bit surprised by what he heard. After thinking it over, he said, “Having all these brand-new electronics at home—does Uncle Zhang do business in that field?”

Someone rich enough to buy a large courtyard in the city center was probably a businessman.

Compared to an ordinary old man, Zhang Yunjiang certainly had an extraordinary air about him. But he didn’t quite seem like a merchant who dealt in money all day—more like a gentle, erudite retired professor.

“Probably,” Yan Jing said. “I noticed they were all the same brand.”

“Which brand?”

“The same one as my phone!”

“…Oh, I didn’t catch on.”

As the two of them chatted idly, Zhang Yunjiang happened to walk over.

Seeing them both there, the old man paused in surprise. “I was thinking of coming to check the kitchen first, to see if the lunch dishes would work. But you’re already here!”

He Xi, who had just snuck a peek into the kitchen herself, said softly, “They look really tasty.”

Zhang Yunjiang found her adorable and couldn’t resist reaching out to pat her head. He said sincerely, “That’s great.”

What a rare, lively morning!

Joy and a touch of emotion shone in the old man’s eyes as his gaze swept over the group of young people before him, finally settling on Xie Wufang, who was quietly reading a book.

As expected, he was diligently preparing to teach Little Doctor Yu Go in a bit.

Zhang Yunjiang hesitated for a moment, then decided to thicken his skin and speak up.

He invited them warmly. “Little Doctor Yu, where are you all planning to go after this? To the chess room outside?”

“Ahem, why not study in my home chess room instead? The environment here’s better—more convenient and relaxing. Plus, my study has a ton of Go books…”

The key point was that he could pass by outside from time to time and sneakily listen in!

Comrade Xie wouldn’t teach him, but… his friend seemed more approachable.

And so, Zhang Yunjiang turned eyes full of earnest hope toward Little Doctor Yu.

Xie Wufang clearly didn’t care either way and looked toward the brown-haired young man beside him, waiting for his decision.

Under the gaze of both men, Yu Bai’s expression froze.

How had it circled back to Go!

He’d barely managed to steer the conversation away and buy some time!!

Fortunately, just as Yu Bai was momentarily speechless, his mind going blank, the footsteps of their last companion sounded.

All at once, everyone’s eyes turned toward him.

Under the bright midday sun, a slightly hunched little boy appeared at the dining room entrance, cradling a fluffy short-legged corgi in his arms.

Everything else was normal.

Except for those childish eyes, faintly carrying a hint of world-weariness, now swollen red like a pair of big goldfish.

Yu Bai looked shocked. “Yuan… ahem, Little Hang! What happened to your eyes?”

Yan Jing, drawing from experience, held back a laugh. “Cried too much—they’re swollen!”

Xie Wufang seemed to remember something and silently looked away.

He Xi hurried over to the tissue box on the dining table. “D-do you want some tissues?”

Zhang Yunjiang still didn’t understand why Yu Hang had been crying that morning, nor did he know the best way to comfort him.

Looking at the corgi in the little boy’s arms, he thought for a moment and smiled. “It seems really attached to you! Normally, it won’t let strangers hold it.”

The old man was trying to use the animal to start a conversation, in hopes of lifting the quirky little boy’s spirits a bit.

As he spoke, genuine curiosity crept in. He mused, “Come to think of it, Zhang Wei’s been awfully well-behaved today. I haven’t heard it bark at all.”

Yu Bai suddenly didn’t follow. “Who’s Zhang Wei?”

Zhang Yunjiang said, “The corgi in Little Hang’s arms.”

Yan Jing could hardly believe it. “It’s named Zhang Wei?”

Yu Bai echoed him. “This corgi is named Zhang Wei?!”

Zhang Yunjiang chuckled. “That’s right—the great Wei.”

Yu Bai reflexively exchanged a glance with Yan Jing, and the two burst out laughing in unison.

Zhang Wei?

A short-legged corgi this cute, named Zhang Wei!

The pair with their odd sense of humor laughed for ages, nearly in tears.

Until Yu Bai caught sight of that Go beginner’s manual, right there within arm’s reach, steady as a mountain.

…Suddenly, he couldn’t laugh anymore.

Yu Bai rubbed his aching cheeks from laughing so hard, his mood plummeting once more. He couldn’t help muttering softly, “Going against your nature really is painful.”

He truly seemed to have no interest in Go.

When Xie Wufang heard that quiet sigh, his gaze swept coldly over a certain someone before instinctively replying, “Mm.”

Yan Jing, still grinning like an idiot, felt his knees buckle instantly.

Only then did Yu Bai realize, upon hearing the man beside him respond, that he’d let his inner thoughts slip out loud.

His expression stiffened. In a flash of quick thinking, he tried to cover it up. “I mean, about Zhang Wei—why isn’t it barking?”

The corgi nestled in Yuan Yuxing’s arms hadn’t just stayed silent; it barely moved at all. It was as docile as a stuffed toy, nothing like a lively, playful pup.

Xie Wufang stiffened too and followed his gaze over. In an extremely soft voice, he said, “…Me too.”

Yu Bai, already feeling guilty, didn’t notice this rare, clumsy lie.

And so, under that gray-blue gaze, the short-legged little corgi—which was already shrinking back—began to shiver even more. Its round eyes filled with confusion and terror.

…Should it bark, or not?